


The Right Choice

by moricat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Nostalgia, Romance, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 09:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10988403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moricat/pseuds/moricat
Summary: A tragic modern AU wherein Eren never came out or came to terms with his feelings for Armin and married Mikasa on the grounds that “that’s what you’re supposed to do”.Short romantic drabble (with a happy ending ;3). Enjoy if you can^^





	The Right Choice

Eren slipped away from the party and slunk down the hall for a chance to be alone for a moment. His stomach was still nauseated from his wife, Mikasa, whispering in his reluctant ear to drink as much as possible while here. Eren definitely wasn't a drinker but when it's the only way you can manage to have sex with your thirsty wife, you do what you must. His childhood friend, Armin, had invited his closest friends over for a little dinner party that night and the air was otherwise filled with warmth and cheer amongst the guests, and Eren in particular felt that same special feeling in his heart that he always felt when he looked at Armin. A feeling he'd felt from the day they met all the way until now. A feeling he only felt with Armin. But he'd never admit to himself just how good it felt to be around him, no matter how close they were. 

Indeed there were a lot of things he wouldn't admit to himself, leaving him with an overstuffed closet of secrets in his mind as he indifferently chose to do the "proper" thing instead... He quietly turned into the doorway that lead to the cozy master bedroom and glanced all around. Ah, Armin's room... It was every bit as colorful as he'd imagined. Filled with geeky toys and posters and collectibles from his favorite anime and manga, as well as photos and trinkets and souvenirs from his travels around the world. Everything Armin dreamed of as a child, he made a reality as an adult, never straying from those things he loved that put the stars in his eyes, and the joy in his life. Eren envied it so much... It was everything his bedroom wasn't. His bedroom was empty, grey, big, cold, and so lonely... even with Mikasa sleeping right beside him, which if he could be honest, only made him feel even more alone. Armin had posters of the sea and his favorite action heroes on the walls, sea shells and geodes on every shelf, and incredibly valuable looking action figures on the bookcase in front of Eren. It was enough to bring him to tears, choking up from the nostalgia as he admired it all... everything he missed dreaming about and everything he craved in his boring empty life. Everything Armin was.

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve before poking around at a very pristine figurine of Kick-Ass, the hero he and Armin were obsessed with in their youth. It was beautiful, clearly a treasure.

"That was an exclusive figure from a manga convention in Japan. I'm very proud to have it." spoke the golden voice of Armin, whom had quietly appeared in the doorway a few seconds ago.

Eren smiled upon seeing the face of the man who so often occupied his mind. And smiled also for the image of Armin in Japan, having a good time, and indulging in its wonders, just like he'd always dreamed... and he wished he were a part of that so badly... "It looks great. Bet it was a fun trip."

Armin happily walked over to join Eren's company and brushed the dust off of the figurine's head. "It was... Pretty lonely though."

Eren was a bit confused. "Didn't Marco go with you?" he asked, surprised that the laughing freckled otaku in the kitchen with the others wasn't Armin's default travel buddy for at least a convention.

But Armin nodded no. "Traveling is pretty personal to me. And Marco's only interested in manga. He's not the kind of person I'd want to take there with me."

"Oh."

After adjusting his figurine to face them at the best angle, Armin accidentally leaned into Eren's body and to his surprise, Eren simply let him. Not a second later, Eren caved into the nostalgia and brought up old memories of their nerdy childhood playtime, excitedly revisiting the world of "Kick Ass" that they loved so much as kids. He brought up a faulty reference to an old issue of the manga, something Marco would've cringed over, and asked the enthusiastic Armin to remind him of how it really went, which Armin excitedly narrated from accurate memory. Laughter started to fill the room, pure and happy, filling Eren's empty body with spirit and life again for a moment, especially for remembering how they used to act out various scenes from the story together. And before they knew it, they'd begun acting one out right there. Armin began blushing and smiling in a way he hadn't done in so so long, and naturally enough, so was Eren. In the midst of the action followed by Kick Ass' final blow, the pair had found themselves fallen on Armin's bed, which bounced them to the rhythm of their heartbeats. Eren smiled up at Armin from underneath his warm body and the pair sighed and relaxed for a moment, with Armin crashing gently into Eren's chest, comfortably at ease in his arms. And dammit if it just- didn't feel SO right. So comfortable, so warm, so safe... Armin beamed at the feeling of Eren's warm... friendship hug... a sensation that just couldn't be matched. He raised his head up, letting his blond hair curtain around his happy red cheeks, and their gazes met... Feelings welled up inside them, warm and special feelings that gushed throughout them, flowing through their bodies and pulsing in their chests as their beautiful smiles reflected one another's mirth. They remained like that for only a couple of seconds, which felt like ages, and something in Eren's eyes glimmered...

But at last, Armin broke the silence. "Come on, Eren. Let's get back to the party. Your- wife must be wondering where you went."

Ah, right. Eren was married... and he hadn't been drinking like she wanted either. Armin used to swear he'd never lie to Eren, valuing their bond and trust above all else. But the truth was, he really just sent him back to the party so he could cry alone in his room for a minute... It hurt so much. It never hurt any less. Eren was always his dream, and yet that dream amounted to nothing. He never dated anyone, choosing to remain alone rather than burden someone with the feeling of "second choice" knowing his heart would always belong to Eren. A stubborn and probably stupid choice to endure and yet Armin was certain dishonestly settling for another forever would've been worse for him than the pain of just living alone. Damn that smile of Eren's, and that flutter in Armin's thudding heart whenever Eren was close to him. Damn the curse of being in love with your married, straight best friend. Damn it all...

Eren finally joined up with the rest of the party in the warmth of Armin's kitchen, where Mikasa pulled at his ear like a mother would for scampering off. She then handed him a glass of sparkling champagne before returning to her stuffy conversation with Jean about their work. Eren lifelessly stood there, frowning at his reflection in the glass of Armin's golden champagne, feeling like a mere shell of himself. Empty, cold, lonely, and mourning where his life had landed him...

Later that evening, the dinner party concluded and everyone went home, smiling at one another and looking forward to seeing each other again. Armin barely looked at Eren again for the rest of the party, and that was the end of it.

Two weeks later, rumor had it that Eren filed for divorce. Meanwhile, Armin was actually heading to China for part 1 of his summer vacation touring his favorite places in Asia. He arrived at the airport and went through customs and everything else with the same empty, lonely feeling he always had when he did it... He stood in the gate, ready to board and just waiting for the go ahead from the flight attendant, only to hear some voice calling his name from behind. He turned around and there was a rough looking Eren, disheveled looking like he'd either just gotten out of bed or slept on a couch, running towards him, as fast as he could, desperately trying to get to him before he boarded that plane. Armin couldn't really believe what he was seeing. Eren running faster than he'd ever seen him run, trying to reach him? He simply stood there waiting to see where this would go, and suddenly Eren's arms were around him, hugging him tighter than he'd ever been hugged in his life... The gust of wind from Eren's sprint then brushed over his face and through his hair like a force of magic, and the next moment Eren took Armin's face in his hands to speak to him through the big ugly tears in his eyes.

"I love you... I always have. I'm so sorry I never came forward about it. I want to see the world with you. I want you to fill me with thoughts of magic and-and fun from those mangas and animes you always talk about, I want you to hold me close and whisper your thoughts in my ear and tell me about the world, and-- maybe if you feel it in your heart, tell me that- you love me too... Your voice is the only one I ever want to hear it in. And I wanna kiss you under the sac- sacka- uhh..."

"Sakura?" Armin said sheepishly.

"YEAH! Yeah, you always know what I'm--" Eren sniffled, so overwhelmed with emotion. "Under the sakura trees and tell you "I love you" in every language... I-- didn't think this through... Sorry, this isn't exactly the ideal confession, you being in the middle of leaving the country and me in the middle of a divorce but... What do... Do you... Mmm.."

Armin was moved to tears too, and was utterly speechless. He caressed Eren's face just to feel if this was actually real, drying his tears and rushing at the feeling of Eren's warm wet cheeks genuinely under his hand indeed. Instinctively, he leaned in slowly and Eren did too, as naturally as breathing. And finally, they kissed. Like they'd always wanted to do in their hearts for as long as they'd known each other. And it was every bit as electrifying as described in those cliché romance stories Armin loved which Eren had finally brushed off as myths when he started dating Mikasa. Their lips remained meshed for a long minute or so before Armin finally brought himself to pull away and ask, "Eren... Will you go on this trip with me?"

Eren's eyes glimmered with life, an image Armin hadn't seen since their childhood and never with this intensity. He couldn't say yes fast enough, and raised Armin up in his arms to swing him around and hug him tight.

When Armin's feet landed on the ground again, he began rambling his logic about the reality they were in, just as he habitually did. "Well, I mean, this trip will have to be cut short since you're in the middle of a divorce, we'll probably only get 2 weeks or so before we'll have to come back and settle some things, which I don’t mind one bit since I get to be with you-" but while the glowing Armin rambled away, Eren simply took his hand and walked with him to the counter to buy a last minute ticket to China, with a grand sparkling grin on his face... This was the first time he'd ever felt truly happy in his life.

They spent a wonderful two weeks alone in China, never minding a thing in the world but each other. Holding each other tight, drunk on sweet kisses and tight cuddles, they swore to never let go of each other's hands for as long as they'd walk this earth together. And with the beauty of the world that Eren at last got to see below their hotel balcony underscoring Armin's beautiful bright eyes in the light of the sunset, Eren didn't have a single regret about choosing him.

And they lived happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I don't believe in sad endings lol
> 
> ALSO: Jean went to their house to comfort Mikasa when he heard about the divorce, and Mikasa realized that Jean's affection, kindness, attention, care, and support was everything she ever wanted from Eren but wasn't getting and her eyes were finally opened to the better possibilities out there for her, and they began dating shortly after, fell in love, and she is now married to him<3 (she is also very happy for Eren and Armin hahah and Eren's never looked so healthy and happy in his life, happy ever after~)^^


End file.
